


fire and brimstone

by d3vilsivy



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Gen, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Other, POV Multiple, Transmasculine Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-04-25 06:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22275625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d3vilsivy/pseuds/d3vilsivy
Summary: sulis tuniel finds himself once and again hanging on the words of men who die before his eyes. the first time, he knew it to be fate. the second time, he falls in love and loses his mind.
Relationships: Hero of Kvatch | Champion of Cyrodiil/Martin Septim
Kudos: 16





	fire and brimstone

martin had been lonely, so lonely he didn't even realize it until their full attention was turned on him. 

certainly as a priest he'd had people to talk to, people to help, but even prior to the sacking of kvatch his devotion to the gods had been waning. he was just going through the motions because he didn't know what else to do. hoped if he could play the part, he might convince himself too.

the day his world came crashing down around him was the day he started to feel again for the first time in years. first it was bitterness, frustration, emotions he'd been repressing in order to do his duty but could no longer hold back in the face of such unbridled chaos. no god had done anything to protect kvatch. they were alone.

at least, that was what he thought, before the dunmer came charging in looking for him. sent by the emperor, his father if they were to be believed. martin had heard tell of the man's premonitions but never imagined they would have anything to do with him.

sulis, as the messenger was called, was covered in blood. not their own, they said, but martin already knew. he'd recognize the feel of daedric matter anywhere. they told him they'd closed a portal to oblivion like they were telling him what they'd had for breakfast, and then said they would come back for him as soon as they'd helped the guard secure the rest of kvatch. 

his mind was reeling long after they'd left. in a matter of hours, martin had gone from an automaton of a priest to the bastard son of a freshly murdered emperor. the town he'd served for years was in ruins because a daedric prince suddenly wanted his blood. 

he felt sick.

he busied himself doing what he could for the fresh wounded that had stumbled in on sulis' heels, but he had only minimal training as a healer. time had lost its meaning for him entirely, so it was both an eternity and the blink of an eye before the dunmer hero returned; visibly exhausted but smug in triumph, with a fire behind their red eyes that lit something in him too.

later that night when they made camp, sulis peeled off their leathers to reveal a multitude of cuts and bruises in the firelight. they noticed him looking, and smirked.

"gods sure did right picking a dark elf to go up against a bunch of bastards lobbing fireballs, but dagon still has plenty of swordsmen in his arsenal."

"i could help you with that, if you like. dressing wounds is all i've been able to do for the last two days." 

they smiled, genuinely this time. "i'd appreciate it. got a shirt you can use for wraps in my pack." they turned to get it, and he heard their sharp intake of breath at the movement.

"how bad is it?"

"i let my form get sloppy. daedra took his chance while i was mid-swing, got me right across the ribs with a mace. i moved enough to miss the full force of it, but it's at least bruised, if not cracked."

"and you went through the rest of the siege in this condition?"

"sword arm was still working," they said, handing him the shirt. "legs too. why stop?"

they let him rip up the shirt while they slowly and carefully removed the one they were wearing. sure enough, the beginnings of a bruise was already darkening their side, perforated by a few jagged but shallow cuts. he pulled a jar of ointment from his bag and with their nod, set to work.

"why are you doing this?" he asked.

"doing what?"

"fetching me, saving kvatch. was the emperor that convincing?" he spread the ointment over their side with a careful touch.

"he was," sulis said softly. they looked almost sheepish, like they’d been caught doing something silly. martin continued in an even tone.

"i don't think most people would have believed it, much less honored his wishes when faced with a gate to oblivion."

"i know he was right." their gaze was on the ground, but their jaw was set. 

martin couldn't help himself.

"how?"

the elf looked up, smirk back in place. "what, are you a scholar, asking so many questions? a mage, perhaps?" 

"well, yes." he paused. "i'm sorry if i seem ungrateful, i just want to understand why you would risk your life for this. i'm not sure i would have, in your position."

"something tells me that's not true, but i'll humor you if you promise you won't think me a fool." 

he met their gaze. "i owe you my life. you have my respect."

they sighed. "it's… a gut feeling, that he told the truth, but the way things happened, it's harder for me to believe it was all a coincidence."

"you believe it was fate."

"i do," they responded, at once both sure of it and surprised to hear themself say it. "wasn't one much for divinity before, but it got me here. can't fault that." they smiled. “and uriel... that man knew things. he knew me, _ really _ knew me, even though we’d never met. he waited for me to follow him because he knew our stories were tied together.”

“why _did_ you follow him?”

“well, for one, there was no other way out. i checked. that was when i heard him telling his guards a little too loudly that he needed to rest just a moment longer, for the third time.”

martin laughed despite himself. “so you did doubt it,” he said.

“what kind of criminal would i be if i didn’t try to escape prison when the opportunity was so graciously offered me?”

“a rather more unhappy one, i’d imagine; though i find it hard to think of you as a criminal, considering your heroics.”

“flatterer.” they looked quite pleased with themself. “it was all a big misunderstanding, of course. maybe i’ll tell you about it someday.”

sulis held their arms out at their sides while martin wrapped up the wound. it was a somewhat pungent experience, but after all they’d done, he couldn’t bring himself to mind it. certainly none of the townsfolk had smelled any better. 

the elf was stocky; small in stature, and quick, but powerful enough to pack a hearty punch. he thought it a wonder that the daedra had managed to land such a blow on them at all, much less that it actually injured them so. but he’d seen their maces, and they were wicked. he tied off the bandage.

later on they offered him their bedroll but he refused, saying he didn’t want all his hard work patching them up to go to waste. he did accept a blanket. it smelled of earth and horse. 

he slept without dreaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a d&d campaign to plan and another fic running but sure, why not start another one! rip me
> 
> rating WILL go up later


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